This is the first of a planned series on which of my past projects still have relevance
There was the green roof, there are the beechwood clad partitions and hallway walls, the mobile partitions, the integrated art, the underground parking garage, the saved tree close to the building, the urban infill between historic homes, the elevator for accessibility, the integration of an urban green space. There was "design assist" for the facades and an envelope consultant who did quality control of our detailing. Ah yes, and all that very contemporary sounding stuff was "fast tracked" in spite of production via the age old techniques of T-squares, ink on vellum and freehand renderings. All this is something that happened some 40 years ago.
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Front of the school facing Bismarck Strasse (School website) |
The architectural project with all these features came to my mind when I was wondering which of the projects I have under my belt as an architect could still resonate with the students that I, at times, try to teach one thing or another. The project I now remembered had made a lasting impression on me since it was my first assignment when my then prolific boss, Heinz Egenhofer hired me for my first job out of architecture school. I was supposed to manage this project. My sparse expertise from five years of studies had already faded some during 18 months of the then in Germany mandatory civil service (in lieu of military service) and a stint in the London planning department. That is to say, I was in way over my head. To be a teaching moment, the 41 years old project must be memorable for more than.......
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Archplan Inc. Philipsen Architects